


When the party's over

by SpookyMoth



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Anarchy, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Apocalypse, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Minor Injuries, Naruto AU Week 2021, Post-Nuclear War, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:41:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29041806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyMoth/pseuds/SpookyMoth
Summary: There are dark times in history.Moments with incredible impact, changing the world order.The lucky ones are not the people who survive. Those who don't have to deal with the aftermaths of the catastrophe are favoured by fortune.When the world ends what will you do?Chouji sits down on her other side."Do you remember when we were in summer camp and watching the stars?"She nods."One day we will see them again," he promises and she almost believes him.
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji & Rock Lee & Tenten, Rookie Nine & Suna no Sankyoudai | Sand Siblings, Uchiha Sasuke & Team Hebi | Team Taka
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10
Collections: Naruto AU Week 2021





	When the party's over

**Author's Note:**

> **CW: Minor/Major Injuries / Blood**
> 
> **TW: Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con in the first part of the story. If you don't want to read this, scroll till you see the first separating line and start reading after this point.**
> 
> Naruto AU Week Day 1: Apocalypse
> 
> Song: Billie Eilish - "When the party's over"

He cleans his knife with a well trained move on his trousers and puts it back into its sheath. He will care about the stains later. It isn't the first person he kills, just the first not for sole selfish reasons.

Juugo throws the body of the other man aside. He has snapped his neck without much thought. That bastard deserves this. Each of them deserve this and even more. Should they beg in hell for forgiveness. He doesn't care any longer.

Killing them feels satisfying for a fraction. Until reality hits him again. Her red hair catches his eyes and he inhales deeply.

He kneels beside Karin. She breaths, but her chest is barely moving. He doesn’t dare to touch her.

“Karin?” Juugo asks from the other side. “Where are you hurt?”

Seconds later Juugo puts an arm gently on her shoulder, his fingertips lingering over her cleavage. Suigetsu is aware her clothes are so destroyed they aren't hiding much and ashamed he looks away.

His companion gives his scarf to cover at least something of her nakedness. Again he gets so angry he wants to continue the killing. It fills that hole inside of him, that burns inside his soul. But he is sure this doesn't help today.

They have seen a lot better days and this must be her worst. He blames himself for leaving her behind without protection. Karin and he behaved like cat and mouse with each other, but he would never throw her deliberately into dangerous situations. He has sworn to protect her, that all of them would make it out alive.

He has broken this promise.

Now she lays here completely beat up. Suigetsu knows what they have done without hearing it from her mouth. There are few things that humiliate a woman more than cutting off her hair or punching her. He has seen so many things during the last months. The world is cruel and unforgiving.

“I don’t know,” she says hoarsely. “Everything hurts.”

“We take you home.”

Suigetsu helps to put her into a comfortable position on Juugo’s arms. Before he turns around to walk ahead, she grabs his hand.

“I still hate you,” she mumbles. “But thank you.”

He forms his sharp teeth into a genuine smile. Whatever happens after this, he is full of confidence Karin can move on and hopefully forget one day.

* * *

She straps the bandage tighter around her thigh, the blood still bleeding through the fabric. There is already a puddle under her, soaking her pants. The bullet had hit a vessel. If it doesn’t stop within the next minutes it is an artery and death would call her soon.

What wonderful prospects.

“Shit, shit, shit!” she cusses and bites harder on her upper lip, trying not to make more noise.

This is the worst place to bleed herself to death. It is not like she has ever imagined to die peacefully at an old age, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, her husband holding her hand, while she took her last breath. But it should have been different. Not stuck in the underground between two train stations. She would have loved to see the stars once again, just one more time before she left the world.

“Let me handle this, troublesome woman.”

Shikamaru kneels beside her and with his strong hands readjusted the bandage. She sees the cuts from the sharp glass pieces earlier, when they had to make a fast entry and the only solution was to run straight through a window.

He looks exhausted. And she can’t blame him. She doesn’t know when they had slept last time or a break in general.

Thankfully the bleeding stops shortly afterwards. She closes her eyes.

“Do you think we will find the others soon?”

“We haven’t seen them in weeks,” he answers and gives her a bottle with water.

He clicks his lighter and ignites a cigarette. It’s one of the rare occasions he allows himself to be selfish. It has been a tough day.

Normally it was their currency. All trades worked through barter and in this district of town it were cigarettes. According to the location they traded cigarettes, alcohol, chocolate, sugar or other rare items, depending on different factors. But he was so nervous and tense from head to toe, this was his last resort. He can't rest until they are no longer in imminent danger.

Their storage gets less with each passing day. Soon they have to find another resource for water and the bare necessities. A spring that wasn’t full nuclear radiation, a trader with cleaning tabs for water or something to cook it at least.

“They are alive,” she tries to encourage him and also her.

“Since when are you so hopeful?” he asks and takes a drag of the cigarette.

“Maybe it is because of you, crybaby,” she teases him.

She wants to move her leg, but stops immediately as the pain stabs her hard. She hisses through her teeth and whimpers. The tears are falling hot out of her eyes. Shikamaru gently takes her into his arms and whispers small words of comfort into her ear, holding her to his heart.

He can’t see her thus vulnerable without doing something. Her stubbornness and pure will let Temari march forward without fear. But even she has her moments of weakness. The last weeks have been strenuous.

She snuggles deeper into his hug, sighing.

“They aren’t dead. I know it.”

He doesn’t comment. If she has hope he doesn't want to take it away from her.

* * *

_Knock._

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

_Knock._

_Knock. Knock._

The person on the other side of the metal door answers. He repeats another of their secret knocks. A gun barrel and a flashlight pointing in his face as the door is opened. Bright eyes meet his and a pair of blue hovers above them.

“Let me in, idiot,” he mumbles. “And shouldn’t Sakura answer the door?”

Naruto lets him enter. Hinata takes his bag and vanishes into the kitchen. Breathing freely again feels good.

He has travelled through half of the town to gather the few things they still can grab in town: flour and sugar, medicine and bandages. He hopes it will suffice for another week or two. Their supplies have stretched thin since the last time they have been robbed. And even more after two new residents are living with them.

“She has to watch Kankuro,” Naruto mumbles as he helps Sasuke to get rid of the bulletproof vest.

He still has struggles to operate with just one arm. Half a year has passed. The phantom pain often wakes him in the middle of the night. The nightmares are even worse.

It was two weeks following the nuclear blast. When the world was still turned upside down and all of them somehow tried to survive. A downfalling wall has crushed his arm. Sakura had cut him free, while he was still conscious. She was praying and crying simultaneously with shaking hands working her way through skin, flesh and bones with tools not made for such a precise task. It was a good job if he compared it to others he has seen with lost limbs, but he doesn’t want to think about this for too long. Triggering memories wasn't a good idea in his current state.

Naruto takes the coat and the gasmask, hanging them on the hooks by the door. If there is a need to flee in an instant they have to be prepared. Most times they don’t even take off their shoes.

He walks further ahead to join Sakura.

She sits on the ground next to Kankuro. He throws up in a bucket, groaning, making various noises he doesn’t want to hear. Sakura is nice as always, talking with a soft voice, rubbing his back.

He and his brother had come here after they were separated from Temari and Shikamaru. Gaara is on the mend after they have run into a group of scavengers and were beaten up badly. His cuts almost have healed completely, and the broken leg is more stable than three weeks ago, while Sakura still tries to figure out why Kankuro can’t stop vomiting.

They first feared it was radiation sickness. But he had no other symptoms and Sakura guessed it must be something else.

“I got some meds, Sakura,” he greets her and bows down to touch her shoulder.

“Thank you, darling," she says and helps Kankuro to lay flat on his back again.

"Did you see her?" he asks Sasuke.

"I heard rumours but nothing specific."

"Try to sleep," Gaara says from the other side of the small room lying on the thin mattress. "Temari is alive. She is with Shikamaru. He won't let her die.

He is glad that this old basement under an abandoned factory has enough rooms for twenty up to thirty people. Sasuke thinks they should move soon or they wouldn’t reach the coast before the first snowfall. But he can't decide alone.

"And what about Ino? Or Neji? Kiba?"

He hates to see hope in Sakura's face. Most times it helps him to move on, face the next day and continue this pointless existence, but he is tired and hungry, just wants time for himself.

He shakes his head and Sakura's happiness crumbles.

* * *

The forest is a bad idea for hiding but where else should they stay?

Ino pokes with a stick in the fire, hoping it would start to warm her in the near future. Chouji is helping Sai to prepare a place to sleep. They don't have food, barely enough water and she wishes to return to a safe place.

Shikamaru's plan had been good. It was better to divide and scatter their large group. They were faster this way. Gathering food and water, guns and electronic devices in several locations means more success in surviving which leads to more advanced plans like traveling to the coast.

She always has been laughing about him and his prepper girlfriend. But as the worst case happened Ino stopped laughing. Never has she been more grateful for someone, who was prepared.

A month or maybe more has passed. The initial plan has been to return back to their encampment by this time. If she calculated correctly they could make it in two weeks by foot. Using a car would be absolute luxury. She doesn't know when she last has seen one that actually moves.

"We are done, beautiful," Sai says and sits beside her.

She wants to laugh. Ino doesn't know when she last has washed herself, not to speak of a bath. Her former long hair, just reaches till her ears now. She is a shadow of herself, not beautiful. But it still makes her feel good. Sai always knows how to cheer her up.

Chouji sits down on her other side.

"Do you remember when we were in summer camp and watching the stars?"

She nods.

"One day we will see them again," he promises and she almost believes him.

* * *

He has found a place to hide for the night. Temari is a heavy weight on his back and he hears her inhale sharply when he walks over an obstacle on their way. She has protested against being carried but since she only could limp, she reluctantly agrees for this time.

As all is settled and a small fire gives them warmth and light, he needs to look at her wound. The bullet is still inside her leg. Something that could be good or bad news.

He crawls over the upper half of her body, a flashlight in his mouth, cautiously moving his fingers on the inside of her thigh. Normally he does other things when his face is so near in this spot and he knows it is absolutely inappropriate to think about this now, but his body is a traitor.

“Not the best time for a boner,” she chuckles. “But I am glad you still find me attractive with all the blood and dirt. Gives me hope.”

Shikamaru rolls his eyes. He decides not to comment on this and traces the wound. He's hurting her with each touch, she tries very hard not to flinch and the tense muscles on her legs make it harder to feel the way the bullet went inside her body.

“Relax, Tem,” he says.

“How should I relax when everything hurts, idiot?” she snaps back. “And it tickles.”

Eventually something hard underneath her skin catches his attention. He presses a finger against it and Temari’s legs jump up.

“DAMMIT, SHIKAMARU! Was this necessary?”

He takes the flashlight out of his mouth and turns his head to her.

“I am sorry, but I found the bullet. If you agree I will take it out. Just a small cut. And I can clean the wound.”

She considers her possibilities. She can feel the bullet inside her leg, since she was shot. It will make things easier and the chances she won’t get inflammation are better. Temari sees that his eyebrows are frowned. He doesn’t want to do this, but if she asks him, he will.

Her hand reaches for his, squeezing it.

“Do it.”

* * *

Tenten is gone too long and Lee starts to worry. Neji is sound asleep after a day and a half of travel. In roughly two days they will reach their destination and reunite with their friends.

It has been too long and he misses the comfort of living under a roof, surrounded by people he likes. He knows he is nostalgic and wants things to be back to normal. Swallowing hard, he suppresses all thoughts about his parents and all his loved ones he has lost when the first nuclear bomb destroyed the city. Changes don’t scare him. He isn’t alone in this. The harsh reality scares him and without Neji and Tenten he would certainly have fallen into deep despair more than once.

He decides to wake Neji when the sun rises. Tenten will be back till this point. She knows how to defend herself and stay out of trouble. There are several explanations why she is late.

Maybe she needed some rest. Or she has found a trader in the middle of nowhere. It is just out of her control she is late.

Neji makes some noises and starts snoring. He watches his friend. The dark shadows under his eyes, his white complexion worries him a lot. A week ago they had been too long near nuclear radiation. Nothing happened to them - at least until now - but Lee knows all of them have shortened their life span.

Maybe it was better they died of something else than the after effects of an atomic bomb.

The rustle of leaves makes him snap his head into the direction.

Tenten has a wide grin on her face. He looks behind her and sees she is not alone.

“Long time no see,” Kiba greets him and pats his dog on the head. “Hope you didn’t miss us.”

Tears of joy are streaming down his face as he recognises more familiar faces. He is so glad all of them are alive.

* * *

It’s the middle of the night and a loud bang wakes him. He jumps up, like Sakura who is cuddled to his chest. Years as a doctor and on-call duty have made sure she was ready in an emergency.

Another bang, followed by more knocks and a voice calling outside finally makes him stand up like Sakura. Kankuro walks into their living area in the same second as they enter.

“Open the door!” they hear Shikamaru shouts outside. “Temari needs treatment or she will die.”

They all hear the horror in his voice. Sakura wants to dart forward like Kankuro, but he extends his arm and holds her back.

“We need to make sure it’s just them.”

“Are you kidding me?” Kankuro asks. “This is my sister outside.”

“Last time they tricked us,” Naruto says behind them. “And they robbed all of our things.”

He walks to the door and Sasuke follows him.

“Shikamaru, do you remember the secret knocks?”

“Yes,” he answers and sounds like he is about to cry every second.

Sasuke can feel that Shikamaru is really scared. He seldom switches to panic mode. This had to be serious. But they can’t make an exception.

“Then give me the secret code we have agreed on.”

Naruto listens closely and answers with another pattern of knocks. Shikamaru responds again.

“Tell me if this statement is true or false,” Sasuke interferes after an approving nod from Naruto. “A Promoted Rook in shogi is called Dragon Horse.”

“This is false. It’s called a Dragon King.”

Kankuro is relieved as those idiots open the door. He sees Shikamaru stumbling into the room, barely standing and his sister is in his arms. Naruto takes her and hurries with Sakura to the kitchen, where they have enough space to treat her. He wants to follow but sees Shikamaru is on the edge of passing out.

While Sasuke closes the door, he takes him by his shoulders.

“Let's find you some clean clothes and something to eat. You look horrible.”

“I just want to sleep,” he croaks. “I am so exhausted.”

He wants to ask so many questions but he sees that Shikamaru won’t be able to give him answers in his state.

Gaara helps him to place Shikamaru on one of the makeshift beds. He falls asleep instantly. Now it is time to see what has happened to Temari. Kankuro is sure he doesn’t want to know.

* * *

Karin sleeps with her head on his shoulder, making it impossible to move. This isn't the first time it happens and he doesn't have the heart to tell her she should stop. Either he or Juugo have to stay at her side at night or else she wakes up screaming because of nightmares.

He is lost about how to help Karin. She is so fragile since the assault and often she just stares blankly into the campfire, not reacting to him or Juugo. Hearing her yell at him or punch him for his dumb comments would make him feel better. He has never missed her old self so much.

He sighs and moves a bit. He stretches his fingers to reach a branch they used to feed the fire. Winter was at the doorstep and the nights got significantly colder. Karin freezes easily.

As he throws the wood into the fire, she almost slips off his shoulder. On pure instinct he grabs her by her waist. She frowns her face, still asleep, and then she exhales.

She looks peaceful while sleeping. He never has watched her this closely. Maybe it's not this bad to have her sleeping on him. It could be worse.

* * *

The smell of pus fills the room as she has cleaned the wound thoroughly. Sweat is dropping down her face and Hinata wipes and dabs it away every thirty seconds. Gaara and Naruto are holding Temari, while Sasuke is in charge of Kankuro and Shikamaru. The former wanted to help, but she knows he can't see blood. She doesn't need him fainting.

She was thankful for the small things. She has enough anaesthesia to do her job without hurting Temari. Even if the wound is infected and looks nasty, she doesn't need to worry about an amputation. The inflammation hasn't reached the bone.

She takes a tiny bullet fragment out of the wound and purges it for a last time with disinfection. Now it is a slightly red but clear wound. She asks for needle and thread, stitchting it all together in a tight and neat way.

"We are finished," she says and exhales deeply, her shoulders sagging. "All we can do now is wait."

A collective sigh wanders the room as she steps away from the table and takes off her gloves.

* * *

The sun rises as they reach the old factory grounds.

Kiba is so relieved that it looks the same and moves forward knowing the rest of their group is following him. He knows they have been away too long. And they have to stay much longer, because none of them wants to travel through the merciless cold of winter.

Shino has to carry Tenten. Neji is walking beneath Chouji and Lee. The only ones he doesn’t have to worry about are Ino and Sai.

He leads them to the door and knocks against it. There is no answer from the other side and he is worried for a second. He repeats his attempts again, with a harder punch of his fist. Maybe they are still sleeping.

Instead of an answer the door is pulled open fast. A man with white hair and sharp teeth stands in front of him. He doesn’t know this guy.

“Come in,” he says with a raised knife. “And make it fast.”

“Why don’t you answer with the secret knocks?” he asks as all of them are inside and he has taken off his gas mask.

“They didn’t tell me about it. I just have the instructions to let people in.”

This is really odd and Kiba prepares to fight. He raises his fists as suddenly Hinata comes out of the kitchen. She drops the towel she is holding and runs to him. He catches her.

“You are here,” she whispers as he gives back her hug.

“Told I won’t get killed.”

“Good you are back,” Naruto says as he appears behind Hinata.

“What about the rest?”

“We are here, dogboy,” Kankuro shouts out of the kitchen. Akamaru is so happy he wags his tail and starts sniffing around.

This is home.

* * *

Shikamaru is aware about the new arrivals but he doesn't care. He breathes in Temari's scent, burying his nose deeper into her hair and trying to hold her closer.

The last week he has been worried sick about her and now that she is now longer dying right in front him, he can let go of all fears. Temari has a long time before she can walk again at his side, but she is alive. Her warm body, the rise and fall of her chest, knowing she is here, in his arms and won't leave him makes him feel content with his life for the first time in months.

Her conscious stirs on the surface. He sees her wrinkle her nose and forehead, then a smile flashes on her face.

"You know I need to breathe," she states, clearly amused. "If you press me deeper into your shirt I will suffocate."

He kisses the top of her hair and gives her some space. She looks at him now.

"I scared you a lot, did I?"

He makes an approving sound and his hand starts to untangle her locks. He doesn't want to face the world now but they will call him anytime soon.

"You are tougher than me, Tem. If I will die you survive. You can live without me, but I can't live without you."

She grabs his hand and kisses his knuckles.

A promise for the future.


End file.
